Comments on: Looking for a little history and a fun roadtrip!

Question: Looking for a little history and a fun roadtrip!

Asherah — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:49:51 -0800

Suggestions for interesting daytrips from Baltimore (other than DC?)

Having my first summer free since moving to Baltimore, I'm searching for interesting daytrips or overnights that can be had via car or train, in any direction. I've not experienced anything south of Maryland, but honestly anything with a bit of history, nature or whatever is fine by me. All suggestions welcome, and favorite restaurants, shops, attractions within specific cities as well. Thanks!

By: fozzie33

fozzie33 — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:53:35 -0800

head up north to catoctin mountains, you can do cunningham falls state park, swim in the falls, great pictures.
Also, you can hike on the Appilacian Trail, hike to annapolis rock, great site.
While up there, you can lunch in Frederick, or head a little more north to gettysburg where there is food, outlet shopping and more fun.

Heading South, try a trip to williamsburg, va. Lots of history, and lots of shopping. Also, some good B&B's there.

By: iminurmefi

iminurmefi — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:55:56 -0800

Have you done Harpers Ferry in West Virginia? It's about an hour and half straight west of Baltimore. It's a really fun place for a weekend--pick one of the bed and breakfasts in or near town, then spend one day wandering around the little (cute) town and looking at all the historical sites or doing a hike (lots of great hiking around there), then the next day tubing down the river.

I'd recommend going for a weekend when it's not too unbearably hot--June rather than August, in other words. I love hiking but August was a bit too much to bear; it would have been much more pleasant if it had been 10 degrees cooler. Of course, hotter is better for tubing, so I guess YMMV depending on what sounds fun.

By: escabeche

escabeche — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:59:20 -0800

Some say the Narrows in Kent Island makes the best crab cake in the state. I can attest that it's great, though I'm not connoisseur enough to make a strong claim that it rises above Faidley's in Lexington Market. If you like the Orioles, you can see the Orioles of the future at Bowie or Frederick. When I was growing up in Maryland, people always went to Chincoteague Island to see the wild ponies.

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:07:17 -0800

I highly recommend going to Mount Vernon in Virginia to see George Washington's home. It's about an hour, hour and a half from Baltimore depending on traffic. I went there a couple of times when I was living in Laurel, MD and I really enjoyed it.

By: robocop is bleeding

robocop is bleeding — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:13:06 -0800

Annapolis is fun - there's a few historical homes to tour and some pretty good walking tours. We went on a ghost tour where the tour after ours had a sighting.

If you like the Civil War, you're in a good place. You've got Gettysburg to the north and Antietam to west.

By: Dr.Enormous

Dr.Enormous — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:14:28 -0800

Ellicot City is a nice place to walk aroun that's nearby. Further afield, I highly recommend the Antietam Battlefield in Sharpsburg, because it's a horrible, tragic, blood-soaked part of American history, but also it's full of big freaking fields to run around and fly kites in.

By: cowbellemoo

cowbellemoo — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:15:28 -0800

Breezy Point on the Western Shore (of the Chesapeake) is a great place to grill/picnic and search for sharks teeth, whale teeth, and the like. The water itself is pretty jelly fishy as I remember, but otherwise it's a very nice little beach.

If you've never looked for teeth before, basically you just sift through the band of detrius that's washed up 20' from the water line and look for tiny little teeth-like triangles (sharks) and flat dark rectangles with ridged edges (whales). Google Images can help out a wee bit, too.

By: arco

arco — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:34:52 -0800

As part of your Harpers Ferry trip, or as a weekend away, you should spend a day or two in Berkeley Springs.

By: el_lupino

el_lupino — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:46:38 -0800

Agreeing on Chincoteague, Harper's Ferry and Catoctin State Park. If the history stuff is interesting, Gettysburg is also pretty close (1.5 hrs.).

And, of course, on preview, each of these popped up. Well, nthing them, then.

By: wowbobwow

wowbobwow — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:48:31 -0800

Deep Creek Lake.

By: COD

COD — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:02:22 -0800

If you are into Civil War history Fredericksburg VA will keep you busy for a long weekend at least.

By: LolaGeek

LolaGeek — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:29:53 -0800

Heartily agree with Chincoteague, VA.

You could drive to Crisfield, MD (a href="http://www.crisfield.com/">seafood capital of the world, if you're into that sort of thing) and take a ferry to Tangier Island, VA, for the day. Definitely one of the most unique towns in the US. (There are also ferries from Crisfield to Smith Island, MD, known for its cakes and its cats.)

If you feel like heading north, you could head to Lancaster, PA, home of outlet shopping, historic sites, and the Amish.

By: LolaGeek

LolaGeek — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:30:54 -0800

Uh, Crisfield would be the seafood capital of the world, sorry...

By: soelo

soelo — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:36:45 -0800

Harper's Ferry, for sure, but also Shenandoah National Park.

By: QIbHom

QIbHom — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:45:00 -0800

You can get to Harper's Ferry by MARC, and there is a good hostel there.

I've been planning to go to Spa World when I have access to a car.

I like taking my dog to Fort Howard Park. It is out in the County, east of the city, free and has old gun emplacements and stuff to wander around, as well as great views and a picnic area.

By: Leezie

Leezie — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:56:37 -0800

Another vote for Gettysburg! Although, I hear the took out the cool floor diorama. It is a beautiful site, the monuments are very interesting and the history is very present.

Amish country is also beautiful and they have wonderful crafts and food for sale.

There is also Philly, the Delmarva peninsula (Dewey Beach in particular, although it might still be a bit chilly), Ocean City (again with the chilly), Chincoteague, Williamsburg in Virginia and many sites in West Virginia.

I can also recommend Ellicott City having grown up down the way a bit. Definitely go up into the hills to see the great old mill houses and architecture.

The great thing about Baltimore is that you can venture out in just about every direction and find something very interesting.

By: Confess, Fletch

Confess, Fletch — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:07:31 -0800

Head south to Solomons Island, St. Mary's City and Point Lookout.

By: Pollomacho

Pollomacho — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:04:46 -0800

The bridge/tunnel is worth a trip.

You could also eat your way down the eastern shore of the Bay from the more upscale St. Michaels and Oxford to the more working-class Cambridge and beyond...

By: dilettante

dilettante — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:14:57 -0800

Several people have said Chincoteague, but Assategue is also pretty cool, is uninhabited by humans, and has ponies.

By: finitejest

finitejest — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:32:49 -0800

Grew up in Maryland, here's a few nearby places I enjoyed:

- Rehoboth Beach nicer than OC in my opinion
- Second the suggestion for Shenandoah National Park, see the Luray Caverns while you're there.
- Annapolis is my hometown, the down town area is lovely! Lots of great shops, historic sites, and food. There is a boat show some time in the summer.
- I haven't been since I was a child, but I really enjoyed Calvert Cliffs
- Assateague is awesome, just watch the horse flies!